


A Hoodie and Liberté

by celes_tea_l, orphan_account



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fashion & Models, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Boss/Employee Relationship, Crack Relationships, Fashion & Couture, Fluff, Genderflux John, I Tried, Its a crack ship but not a crack fic, Jefferson is nicer than usual, LGBTQ Characters, M/M, Smut, Swearing, if that makes sense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-27
Updated: 2017-02-03
Packaged: 2018-09-12 17:42:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9082762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/celes_tea_l/pseuds/celes_tea_l, https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: John, being the carefree idiot he is, decided to walk into a world renowned fashion company for an interview! In a goddamn worn out hoodie. He regrets all of his life choices. (PS this is a crack ship and my first fanfiction pls give me constructive criticism and be gentle.)





	1. Chapter 1

John honestly didn’t know what he was thinking. Walking into a world renowned boutique, applying for a job, in a hoodie and sagging jeans. His freckled ass walked itself up to the boss’s office in a messy bun, satchel strap slung across his chest. “Showtime,” he whispered to himself as he knocked on the door. 

“Sally?” a voice called out from behind the door. John took another deep breath, opening it. He stood awkwardly next to a chair in front of the wooden desk that suddenly seemed very interesting. “Mr. Jefferson, I’m John Laurens, a-and I’m looking to apply for a job here as an employee.” The afro-headed man who would hopefully be his boss was hiding his disgust well as he motioned for John to sit down. He assumed he was the jerk the media called him, but nonetheless he kept that fact to himself.

John sat, tapping his foot rapidly as he regretted his life choices. His head shot up, where he assumed it was that question they  _ always _ asked at interviews for bigwigs. “What I can bring to this company?” he asked, sighing as he saw Jefferson nod. “I believe I can bring a new ‘edge’ to  Liberté. Well, not edge. I can create many styles, for many body types, for many different kinds of people. I can satisfy almost any customer…” He stopped rambling, seeing Jefferson’s unamused face. 

He could’ve sworn his eye twitched, and staring at Jefferson a second longer set him off. “Look, I’m here because I love fashion, I need a job to hound off my crazy family to prove them wrong, and I can’t live as a struggling artist anymore. You can stop faking your content with me because I can read you like a book.” John scoffed quietly as Jefferson stopped tapping his fingers and sat up straight. “Kick me out, but at least take a look at my portfolio…” 

John handed him the folder, hoping that he didn’t notice how much his hand was shaking. The nice wooden floor suddenly became very interesting, the grooves, the color. Mahogany or oak? His admiration of the floor was broken by the soft gasp that came from Jefferson. His eyes shot up to meet John’s, then straight back down to the photos. 

“These are…” he cleared his throat before continuing, “These are beautiful! What was the inspiration for this?” He picked up the picture of a long flowing dress, with John’s sister Martha as the model. It fit her perfectly, and as the dress trailed down the shimmers and colors became more apparent. 

John sighed as he stared at it, “Galaxies, space, stars, all that jazz. I miss being in Peru; in the reserve in Florida. All this light pollution and whatnot really takes away from the beauty of the universe… Sorry, I’m rambling.” He focused in on Jefferson’s gaze, smiling softly. John’s face turned into something dreamy, that starry look that he got whenever he talked about things he loved, or admired. Jefferson went silent for a second, staring. John cleared his throat softly, wondering if he said something wrong or talked for too long, but a wave of relief washed over him when he saw Jefferson grin.

“No, no, you’re fine, not rambling! Uh, yeah, light pollution. Have you ever been up north?” He thought for a second as he saw John shake his head. “You’re obviously very talented. What college did you go to?” he muttered to himself as he looked over John’s resume. He winced at Jefferson’s expression, already writing his will and testament in his head. “You were self taught…”

Jefferson passed back the portfolio and resume, a subtle grin on his face. “I believe you’ll get this job, but you’ll have to wait a week or so for a definitive answer.” He stood up to shake John’s hand as John thanked him. He was almost out the door with his satchel in hand before Jefferson called out, “I really  _ do _ think that you’ll make a difference to this company.” John nodded back, flashing a smile before heading out quickly. 

 

John was pacing around in that tiny artist studio he called a home. Sunlight shined through the window, and he had spent the past week waiting anxiously for the phone call. Sketches and paintings scattered across the floor, and he could’ve sworn he saw something moving under the pile of clothes that had gathered in the corner. He walked over calmly to the bustling pile of clothes and sighed happily, seeing Noodle Pup wrapped around Sheldon happily. “Oh, Mr. Squirtle Laurens, sleeping happily next to Ms. Marie Pup I see!” He chuckled as he picked them up and placed them in their cage. 

He sprinted to his phone by the first ring, tripping over a bucket of markers on his way. “Hello!” 

“Yeah, hi…” Sally answered from the other line. “You have the job, starting at 7:30 AM, same place the day after tomorrow. It’ll just be a tour of the building, and where you’ll be working, et cetera, et cetera.” John could hear the sarcasm and boredom dripping from her voice. 

“Uh, yeah, okay.” Her scoff got under his skin, but he continued. “Thank you, Sally,” he said calmly, hanging up. John jumped around his studio, screaming into phone about his new job, and how Herc can suck it. The party that night was a party he’d never forget, especially during the hangover the next morning.


	2. Chapter 2

John walked up to Jefferson’s office, smiling at how he “cleaned” up. He dressed better than he did a week ago, rocking a messy bun and a patterned button-up. His jeans weren’t too tight, and his Vans matched perfectly with the outfit. He took pride in his how he dressed, noticing how it turned heads as he sat in the subway. 

All of his confidence flew out the window when Sally showed him the door to Jefferson’s office once again. She left him, and before he could even knock Jefferson opened the door. He looked over John with a fascination before speaking, and John was about to collapse from the anxiety as he waited for him to begin. “Oh, John! Welcome, I’ll be giving you the tour,” he said gleefully, shaking his hand. “This is  _ my _ floor. Come up for an appointment, schedule first with Sally though.” 

They went through the floors, John trying to make a mental note of where everything was. The first floor was the shopping area, the second floor’s the employee area with offices and the cafeteria, the third floor was for storage and fabrics, along with replacements for machines and work tools, and the fourth was Jefferson’s and the meeting rooms. 

“Are you okay, Mr. Laurens?” Jefferson asked on the elevator to the second floor. 

“Just trying to remember where everything is, I tend to forget things easily,” he answered simply. They walked to John’s office, and the sight of it made his heart kick out of his chest. “You’re kidding me!” The office had two mannequins, a laptop, and a telescope in the corner. He ran over to it, grinning and looking over it to the view of the park down below. John turned to the desk and spun around in the swivel chair, stopping to gaze over the art supplies on his desk. 

Jefferson watched as he leaned against the door frame, seeing John’s breath hitch at the black sketchbook laying on his desk. The cover was engraved in simple gold letters, “John Laurens”. 

“We try to make every employee’s office as homey and enjoyable as possible,” Jefferson said in response to the look on John’s confused face. “Although, it’d be best to keep what I got you a secret, since this has to be the most money I’ve spent on an employee… Anyway, what’d you like to do now? You could have lunch, or start working, or you know… leave and explore?”

John leaned back in his swivel chair, before rolling it next to a chair in front of his desk. “Let’s sit and talk. You seem like you’d like to know more about me.”

Jefferson nodded, grinning as he sat down next to him. “So you said your family was yelling at you to get a job?”

“Yep, I think they care, but being not straight, or cisgender kinda didn’t help with the problem… Oh yeah, being an artist isn’t a ‘real’ job, but I love doing what I do, why can’t I support myself while doing it?” John shook his head, chuckling. “If you want to, you can tell me to stop talking. I get it from my friend, I just start rambling and don’t know when to stop.”

Jefferson made a quick hand motion. “You’re fine! I like listening to you talk!” John sighed softly, stretching a bit and shifting in his seat. “So, you’re self-taught?”

“Yes! Many pricks and cuts, accidents, and my friend Hercules screaming at me for ruining his fabrics, but, it’s definitely all worth it to work with you, I m-mean,” he caught himself, blushing softly. “I  _ mean _ working as an employee, here, y’know.” John laughed awkwardly, looking out the window. He took a deep breath before working up the courage to look back at Jefferson. He could’ve sworn he saw a smirk on his boss’s face, but brushed it off as him just seeing things. 

Jefferson’s phone buzzed, his boss groaning at the noise. “You can start on work, I have a meeting with someone. You can come up with an appointment next week, Sally’ll have it scheduled,” he said, standing up. “I’ll see you soon, Mr. Laurens.” They shook hands, but John’s breath got caught in his throat when Jefferson leaned down to kiss it, then rushed out with a grin on his face. 

John stood there for a few minutes with the wind knocked out of him. He shook his head again, attempting to shake away the thought of his new boss kissing his head. He immediately got to work on a commission, the thought still lingering in the back of his head.

“John Laurens, to the second floor!” Sally said in a sing-songy voice through the intercom. “You’re exactly 12 minutes late to your appointment.” 

He growled, throwing on his hoodie. It was almost the end of the day, and after getting blood on an important part of a dress, John was already fed up with being in the small office. He hadn’t had lunch since he got there, in fact he hadn’t had any food all day. He stalked into the elevator, calming down as he leaned against the walls.

It had been a week since the sudden kiss on the hand, and John worked himself to exhaustion every day in an attempt to ignore what had happened. John and Thomas passed by each other on occasion, and both did their best to avoid the other’s gaze. The universe was definitely against them, John had thought, recalling the many elevator trips where they both occupied a corner and kept to themselves.

John knocked against the door and walked in to see the sight of Jefferson behind his desk, eyes glued and scanning over a mess of papers.

“Close the door behind you.” 

John saw two coffee cups squished next to three five-hour-energys in the small waste basket next to the desk, sighing and dragging a hand down his face. 

“Sir, you’ve got to be kidding me. You need something to eat because you can’t just sit in your office, living off of a energy drink and coffee cocktail,” he stated simply, pulling Jefferson to the door, still seated on his large swivel chair. “Sirrr, c’mon. Up! If you get up, I’ll pay for lunch, or whatever this is since it’s not noon anymore. Almost the end of the day.” He waited for a bit, making a sound of triumph when Jefferson finally got up and followed him into the elevator. By the time they got into the cafe and ordered, John realised how much of a mess he looked. 

“Stressing over something, sir?” he asked quietly, eating some fries. Jefferson nodded, resting his head against the table. 

“A charity fashion show I have to direct, construct, and plan in a matter of months.” He took a sip of his water, sighing as he rubbed his eyes. “I’m practically sprouting greys from all of this work.”

John nodded, leaning back in his seat. He looked out the window, eating more of his food before his eyes lit up. “I could help you!”

Jefferson looked at him with a confused look, but he continued.

“I’ll help you with organising, because scattered papers on your desk won’t alleviate the stress, trust me. After this commission, I’d be glad to assist you.” 

“Alright…” Jefferson mumbled, finally eating some of his food. “Uh, thank you, Mr. Laurens.”

“Call me John, sir,” he said with a grin on his face, sipping his smoothie. They continued talking and eating, arguing over how they would be glad to pay for the other (John won that one), and they both walked back to  Liberté . John checked his watch in the elevator, yawning softly. “It’s practically closing time, so I’ll see you later, sir.”

“I’d advise you to be safe out there, I heard the temperature’s dropping pretty quickly,” Jefferson said, concerned. “Wait, don’t you walk home or take a subway that’s five blocks from here?” John nodded, going into his office and packing up as Jefferson followed him. “I could drive you there.”

“Sure…” John smiled softly as he waited for Jefferson to pack up, then they both left for his car. It was, of course, one of the fanciest models out there. John got in, and they both drove off. “I live in one of the art studios around here, take a left.”

The ride to the studio continued in silence, and Jefferson walked John up to the door, grinning. “Thank you, sir.” John almost walked inside but turned around. “Thank you for everything.”

“Call me Thomas.” Jefferson kissed his hand again and walked off, hopping into his car and driving off. John blushed softly, walking inside and locking the door behind him. All he was thinking about was a hot shower to soothe him from the stressful day. He was off tomorrow though, so no more annoying rich parents with their even more annoying and bratty kids. 

He slipped out of his clothes and into the shower, not bothering to check the temperature before he stepped in. It was perfect, and he practically melted under the running water. He turned on his bluetooth so music could play, since he hated silent showers. John was just too used to his loud house in South Carolina with his younger siblings and parents. 

He washed his hair, then his body, trailing his hands down his torso. His thoughts trailed from his childhood home to his job. He had an “art studio,” which was actually an apartment, since there was a bathroom and a tiny, tiny kitchen. If he worked for long enough, he could move out. He could get promoted, but it’s not like that would ever happen. Mr. Jefferson, or Thomas, seemed to like him enough to promote him. More than enough it seemed.

“Holy shit…” John leaned against the wall, smoothing his hair back. “Wait, you’re being crazy, John. Why would he like you, you and your crazy freckled ass, who walked into an interview with a hoodie on?” He turned off the water, smacking his hand against his forehead in an attempt to shake away the crazy idea. He dressed himself, and got into bed as the music still played. The thought didn’t go away, even in his sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeey! This chapter is introducing genderflux John with she/her pronouns, so I feel the need to explain before starting. If you know what that is, you can read on. (Also misgendering in this chapter you can fite Lee for me)
> 
> "Genderflux is a gender identity in which the strength of feelings of gender varies over time. It can be seen as a form of genderfluid between being agender and one or more other gender identities. Genderflux people may also identify as nonbinary, genderqueer and/or transgender."
> 
> Also, John's necklace he always wears: https://www.etsy.com/listing/213450169/genderfluid-pronouns-necklace-custom

John sat behind her desk, looking through the online catalogs for the fabrics she needed for Miss Reynolds. She knew her well from her relationship with Eliza, but she had never realised how much money she had. Or how much she like the color red. She groaned, rubbing her eyes. “I swear my eyes are gonna melt from staring at this screen.”

She stood up from her chair to stretch, fixing the outfit she picked out for today. She adjusted her maroon crop sweater so it hid more of her torso, along with her high waist shorts. It was cold, but she decided some thick thigh high socks and boots would be warm enough.  _ I honestly spend too much time on my clothes for the day,  _ she thought to herself as she fixed her lipstick. She stopped and slipped the lipstick into her satchel when she heard the door to her office opening. 

“John!” Jefferson exclaimed, with a wide smile. He stopped in his tracks, staring at John with an expression she couldn’t read. “Y-you look- you look very beautiful. What are your pronouns today?”

“She, her, and hers. Or they, them, and theirs,” John answered as Jefferson kissed her hand, something she would never get over. Someone stepped out from behind Thomas, waving. 

“I’m Charles Lee, one of Mr. Jefferson’s right hand employees. Since you’re new here, I’ll basically be your mentor, but for today, we’ll just talk with customers, hand out commissions, and eat lunch together.” Lee flashed a grin, tapping his foot softly. “I’ll give you a few minutes to grab anything you need. You can meet me by the elevator.”

Charles walked off, with Jefferson following closely behind. John was tempted to hold Jefferson’s hand or give him a peck on the cheek but she decided against it. She kept telling herself that there was no possible way Jefferson would like her like that, at least not enough to consider a relationship with her.  _ And he’s my fucking boss! You can’t date your boss, you idiot…  _ She sighed, throwing her satchel over her shoulder and grabbing her phone. 

She met Lee in the elevator, where he was just playing some new game on his phone. She waved, and they both walked in, along with another employee. His name tag said “James Madison” and from what John could see, he definitely did not sew for a living.  _ Maybe he’s marketing _ , John thought to herself as James smiled softly. 

“Mr. Lee! Is this your new… whatever you call people you mentor?” James asked simply.

“Yes! His name’s John Laurens,” Lee said with a smile, ignoring the fact that John was quietly cringing in the corner. She made a quiet squeak of a hello and waved towards Mr. Madison. 

“Oh… Nice to meet you… Mr. Laurens-”

“It’s Miss! I mean…” John sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “I go by she and her pronouns today. Genderflux…”

James gasped softly, covering his mouth. “I apologise for that, Miss Laurens, I didn’t know. I’ll make sure to never make that mistake again.”

John chuckled, walking out of the elevator. “It happens, and it’s okay. Have a great day, Mr. Madison!” She watched as James waved goodbye, then followed Lee. Throughout the day, John had to go through Lee being a dick, misgendering her no matter how many times she corrected him. She was on the verge of screaming, and even with her necklace so obviously showing her pronouns, she was about to punch Lee. 

“Hey, can I sit with y’all?” she whispered to the group during lunch.

“Sure, why not? You can sit next to Hannah,” someone said, moving a seat over. “What’s the problem?”

“Charles Lee? Yeah, he keeps frickin’ misgendering me and I want to shoot him in the mouth,” John growled, stuffing her mouth with food so she wouldn’t go on a tangent. It was a bad habit, and she blames it all on Alex. Her eyes widened at the sound of groaning from all across the table.

“Ever since he got promoted he’s been an asshole! Always being rude, threatening to get us fired!” Hannah said, brushing her hair out of her face. “He thinks just because he’s higher up than us he can say anything. Even about George Washington!”

“His excellency? The numero uno? Didn’t Washington almost get fired because of him?” 

“Yep, oh shit, here comes the general Lee, ready to call us out…” Hannah whispered, the entire table snickering. He stood behind John, smiling softly.

“Mr. Jefferson wants you in his office, John. So when you’re done eating just come straight upstairs.” He looked around the table with a blank face. “Making new friends, John? It seems like all of you like him, and he’s talented so you better shape up.”

John stared at her food, letting out a breath she hadn’t realised she was holding when Lee finally left the cafeteria. The entire table could feel her uneasiness, telling her they couldn’t believe Lee would be so blatant with his misgendering. She simply nodded and finished eating, heading straight for the elevator to the fourth floor. 

Lee was standing outside the door, on his phone again. “New guy, already getting called to the boss’s office.”

“Listen here, Charles,” John whispered harshly. “I’m more of a man than you’ll ever be, and more of a woman than you’ll ever get. You are gonna use my pronouns, or I will gladly smash your head into the ground with my heeled boots.” She walked in with Lee following behind. “You called me over, sir?”

“Again, just call me Thomas,” he said, James smirking softly at that comment. “Was your day with Lee educational?”

John nodded, not even bearing to make eye contact with Lee. She started fiddling with the hem of her shorts, gnawing on her tongue. She was about to faint, but she hoped she didn’t give it away with the blank expression on her face. 

The room was silent for a moment as James passed Jefferson a stack of papers, watching as the latter scanning through all of them quickly. “Parles-tu francais Monsieur Lee? ¿O hablas español?”

Lee shook his head, confused. “I don’t speak any… foreign languages, sir.”

“Then why do you assume that John is fine with being misgendered? This is the English language, Lee! There’s gender neutral terms if you can’t wrap your head around these ones,” Jefferson hissed. “There’s been enough complaints about you, so you’ll be reading all of these as you move everything from your office and into the new one I assigned you. You’re being demoted.”

John tried her hardest not to laugh at Lee. The expression on his face was priceless, a nice mix of confusion and anger. He almost protested before growling, turning on his heel and stomping out, the stack of papers in hand. John finally relaxed for the first time all day, fixing her hair. 

“You may go back to work, John. You wouldn’t want to start late on that commission for Miss Reynolds, would you?” Jefferson mused as John and James headed out of the office. “And don’t forget Mr. Madison, I have a  _ meeting _ with you tonight!”

And that proved it. She couldn’t ignore the sudden pain her chest and how much harder it was to breathe now.  _ I was delusional, falling so easily for someone like him,  _ she thought to herself, working on the red dress.  _ Why the fuck would he fall for you? So obvious that James knew him longer, they’re more fit for each other. You idiot! _ She hissed as she pricked herself with the needle. John kept working, ignoring the pain.  _ Fucking idiot. Maybe he was just flirting with you, or this whole, nice Jefferson was just a facade. You’ve only known him for month, John! It’s just work, all of it. Just work so you can get out of that damn apartment… _

John wiped away the tears that were steadily streaming down her face. She worked the feelings away, determined to get through the day. She didn’t want to think about how shitty her day was going, and how she’ll walk into a room with Jefferson again. Instead, she focused on the red dress, and how this time they won’t notice if she accidentally got blood on it.  _ Probably. _

It was the end of her shift, sighing as she got ready to leave. “John!” Jefferson called out from behind her, which made her double her walking speed. He quickly caught up, staying by John’s side. “I’m sorry you had to deal with Lee, I promise nothing like that will happen again.”

“It’s fine, Mr. Jefferson,” she answered through gritted teeth. She was fumbling with her shirt hem again. 

“John, please, you can’t be walking in this cold.” Jefferson got in front of her to stop her from walking any further. “One last ride?”

She sighed, turning the other way and walking to Jefferson’s car. The entire ride was in silence, even with Jefferson’s attempts to start a conversation. He walked her up to the door, smiling softly. “Goodnight, John,” he whispered, kissing her hand. He hesitated for a bit, then gave John a quick kiss on the cheek before sprinting to his car and leaving. She walked inside, hand still on her cheek, like his lips were still there. 

John hadn’t even tried to sleep that night, using Netflix as a distraction for the thoughts running through her head. “Ma cherie, you can’t fret over this, how do you say…  lover boy? You won’t even tell me who he is, it’s not like we’re going to have a ménage  à trois.”

She chucked a small pillow at him, smiling softly. “Mon ami, you already are in one!”

Laf shushed her, crawling over and wrapping an arm around her. “Don’t worry, it is not top priority, my dear. And I’m sure he won’t fire you for confessing your love for him, words pouring out like a river! Ooo la la Monsieur! I have been meaning to tell you this for the longest! I have fallen for you, and I pleasure myself to the thought of your strong hands holding my hips as you-”

She smacked him with the pillow, knocking him over. “Fuck off, Lafayette!” She still couldn’t hide her blush and the fact that all he said was true. She sighed, resting her head against him as she drifted to sleep as the sounds of gunshots and cannons came from the small TV in front of her.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ALRIGHT ALRIGHT ;))))

It’s been four months of working at Liberte, and John was proud of himself for hiding his feelings so well. Spring smacked him in the face, the unexpected rain giving Jefferson more excuses to drive him home. John still couldn’t tell if Jefferson liked him back, but it seemed like they were getting more comfortable with each other. They left each other coffees or tea on their desk, just the way the other liked it, or kisses on their cheek. John liked making wacky ties for Jefferson, and Thomas liked leaving notes in French on John’s door.

John hadn’t even realised how close they were getting, even when Jefferson gave him a quick kiss on the _lips_. Now they were heading to a company party the day before Easter, or an excuse to get drunk. He just wore some jeans and a t-shirt, along with a bunny ear headband.

“Calm down, Johnny boy,” Hannah said, stealing a handful of chocolates from the candy table. “Get drunk, just, stop worrying.”

John chuckled, sipping his second pint of Sam Adams. “You’re not the one with your boss kissing you, Hannah. You have less to worry about. Oh shit, here he comes.”

Jefferson strolled over, a grin that told him easily that he was tipsy. “Mon cher, are you enjoying the party?”

He smiled and nodded, squeaking softly when Jefferson set his drink down and dragged him over to dance. Hannah smirked, taking the small bottle from her purse. She almost managed to open the bottle before James walked over, raising an eyebrow.

“O-oh! Mr. Madison, I d-didn’t, uh…” Her face flushed red, but he smirked, taking the bottle and opening it for her. She nodded, grabbing the cups John and Jefferson were drinking from. She poured in the vodka, hiding the empty bottle. “Now we wait.”

Soon enough, John and Jefferson stumbled over, laughing so hard tears were forming in their eyes. They both picked up their drinks and did a quick cheers, downing their drinks as they walked to the other side of the room. “Awesome! This is gonna be hilarious!”

“Quite.”

Time went by and the party was nearing its end. James was getting ready to leave and almost headed out of the room until he heard John yelling for everyone to shut up. “Sweet Jesus…” he whispered, turning around to see John climbing carefully off a table after getting everyone’s attention.

“Alright, alright! That’s what I’m talking about!!” His words slurred, and he was swaying softly, holding onto Jefferson for support. “Now, this party is lit as fuck, very lit, but we wouldn’t have been able to pay for everything without the help of Mister J. over here!”

The crowd cheered, so he assumed it was a good sign to keep going. “Boy, y’all can do better! Everyone, give a round of applause for the guy I’ve been waiting for, the man I’ve been in love with for the past… the, uh, yeah the past four months!”

The crowd cheered louder, now with wolf whistles and cheering for John to get some. Jefferson clapped too, but stopped, confused. “Wait, wait, honey, darling. Babs, you like… love me?”

John used Jefferson’s tie to pull him closer, and whispered in his ear. “I love you, Thomas.” He let go, finishing his beer and chucking it into the trash, going out onto the dance floor, and left Thomas there, stunned.

The ride home was a blur, James basically becoming a taxi service with some of the men for the drunk women needing a ride home. Hannah was trying to stop Jefferson from drinking and singing the French national anthem with John sleeping on his lap. She finally managed to pry the two apart long enough for them to get in the car, but not long enough for them to cuddle the minute they got next to each other.

James dropped them off and gave Hannah his car so he could watch over them. “For two drunk and horny men, y’all are surprisingly cuddly,” he said as he laid a blanket, not even bothering to try and get them out of their clothes and into something more comfortable. And on the couch they slept, holding onto each other like they were the only thing keeping them alive.

John woke up with a start, feeling nauseous from the alcohol last night. His phone was buzzing with messages, mostly from Lafayette asking if he fucked his lover boy already. All John could focus on was the the nauseous feeling and the flooding memories from the night before. His breathing went silent when he heard Jefferson starting to mumble in his sleep.

“John… You’re so amazing, John… F-fuck, I love you, John…” Jefferson’s words sent shivers down his spine. Was his boss having… a wet dream? About… _Nope, nope, nope I gotta leave_ **_now_ ** **,** he thought as he tried to get away from Jefferson’s grip. That only made him pull him closer, pressing his ass to Jefferson’s-

 _NO NO NO NO NO, I’M IN HELL THIS CAN NOT BE HAPPENING. Great, now he’s grinding against me fuck._ John finally escaped, falling onto the floor and crawling away to see James in the kitchen, cooking. He walked carefully, chugging some water and eating.

“Jefferson seems to like you very much, John,” he purred, fixing himself a plate. John stuck out his tongue, crossing his arms. He finished eating, tensing up as Jefferson walked in, yawning and stretching. John couldn’t help but watch his arms flex… he shook his head, looking away. “Today’s your day off, isn’t it?”

John nodded, keeping his eyes fixed to the floor. He heard Jefferson sigh and grab a cup of coffee, and James took the hint to leave the room. He felt Jefferson’s lips on his hand, but he looked up when Jefferson began kissing up his arm. He kissed up his neck, and finally kissed his cheek, pulling John close as he whispered softly, “I would’ve never known if it weren’t for that alcohol. And if you didn’t say it, I would’ve. You didn’t think I was dating James, did you?”

“I did.” John chuckled, smiling softly as he leaned into Jefferson’s hold on him. They both smelled like alcohol and chocolate but they couldn’t care less.

“We just gossip and play video games. I’m so used to being uptight and aggressive that I never really have time to unwind. To be honest, he’s one of the only people I’m more casual with, my family brought me up to be more proper, more serious. He’s the only one, besides you, of course…” He sighed, hugging John tightly. “I apologise for the times I’ve been aggressive towards you. I really do value our time together, even if it’s just dropping you off at your apartment. I love when the media isn’t breathing down my back, I love when it’s just us. I… I love you, John Laurens.”

John stood there, nuzzling Jefferson with a smile on his face. “I love you too, Thomas Jefferson…” he whispered as he played with Jefferson’s hair, kissing him softly. He sighed as Jefferson kissed back, wrapping his arms around John’s waist. “You talk in your sleep, by the way.”

“Oh god,” Thomas blushed, hiding his face in the crook of John’s neck. “I know it’s early, but the thought of doing the deed doesn’t disgust you right?”

He smirked and shook his head, kissing Thomas again. He tasted like alcohol and coffee but John couldn’t care less. They stood there, kissing each other lazily before John’s phone started to ring. He picked it up, putting it on speaker. “Bonjour Lafayette! J'ai l'amant et il m'aime!”

“Will you tell me who it is now?” Lafayette whined, mumbling quickly in French.

“Je m’appelle Thomas Jefferson, Lafayette.” The squealing and cheers on the other line made John blush hard. “He’s quite beautiful, is he not?~”

“Mon dieu, you’re fucking your boss. Well, I won’t stall you lovebirds any longer. Have fun, be safe, mon ami!” With that he hung up, leaving Jefferson and John alone again. Thomas grabbed his food and ate, always smiling and glancing at John.

“What do you want to do today? It _is_ our day off,” Jefferson asked as he washed the dishes. John’s arms wrapped around his waist, hands slipping a bit under the waistband of his underwear.

“I want sleep, but if you want, after I wake up we can have a little fun. Just us,” John answered in a flirtatious tone, kissing the back of Jefferson’s neck. Thomas chuckled, sighing happily.

“Just us, darling.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just realised that the next scene might be a smut scene and I'll need to change my tags. I don't really know and it'll be my first time writing one so I'm on the fence about it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut ahead guys bewwaaarre.

John still had to take a step back and remember everything when he woke up. He was in his boss’s bed, or his boyfriend’s. He remembered sleeping on the couch after breakfast instead of in his way-too-big-for-one bed, under some of the silkiest blankets he had ever felt. John was next to Thomas, who was still blinking the sleep away. The sun still streamed through the window and into the room. 

“Hey,” John said groggily, brushing a strand of hair from his face. Thomas grinned, pulling him close and kissing him. He kissed back, hands running through Jefferson’s hair. He moaned softly, starting to kiss John more frantically. He blushed, still in a state of disbelief that this was actually happen. He whined when Jefferson pulled away, wondering if he’d done something wrong. 

“So… uh, I don’t have lube, or a condom. Y’know because I don’t have many... visitors, and I haven’t…” Jefferson flushed, looking away. 

“Oh! I-It’s fine, hon! I can help, but you’re gonna have to go out and get the condoms and lube…” 

Jefferson nodded, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek and running out as fast as he could. John sighed and sat there, waiting while he played on his phone or watched TV or anything he could do to pass the time. 

**To Laffy Taffy: Mon ami I’m getting the D.**

**From Laffy Taffy: oOOOOO LA LAAA~~~**

**To Laffy Taffy: Stfu Laf**

**From Laffy Taffy: Be safe and don’t show how absolutely kinky you are.  ;))))**

**From Laffy Taffy: Yet**

**To Laffy Taffy: Casse toi, he’s here**

Jefferson grabbed his phone and threw it to the side, climbing over John. He kissed him deeply, arms wrapping around John’s waist. They stayed like that for a while, kissing each other frantically. Thomas eventually started to get adventurous, slipping his tongue into John’s mouth. He sighed happily, John’s tongue meeting with his. Their hips met, causing them both to shiver. They only pulled away to take off the rest of their clothes, fumbling to get to each other’s mouths again.

“Jesus fucking christ…” John whispered, staring at Jefferson’s length.  _ He’s hung as  _ **_fuck_ ** , he thought to himself as his eyes trailed up to meet Jefferson’s. 

“I-Is there something wrong? I’m sorry if this is uncomfortable, I’m so-” Thomas had the breath knocked out of him as John flipped them both over. He started trailing kisses down his torso and taking note to the spots that made him shiver. 

Thomas tangled his fingers in John’s hair, tugging on it experimentally. John blushed as he moaned, biting his lip softly. His kisses finally reached the base of Thomas’ length, licking and sucking softly. He kissed up and down, finally taking the head into his mouth. Thomas tugged his hair again, fighting the urge to buck up into the warmth of John’s mouth. He moaned around him, taking him deeper. 

Jefferson’s moans spurred John to suck harder, bobbing his head quickly. “J-John, w-wait,” Thomas warned, pulling John off. He was breathing heavily, and he couldn’t tell what Jefferson was thinking, causing him to feel a sharp pang of nervousness. 

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” John felt tears well up in his eyes and quickly blinked away them away, wondering if Jefferson didn’t want to continue. The next few seconds seem to drag on for hours as he waited for a response, but Thomas soon pulled him up quickly, kissing him with a roughness he didn’t expect.

“Darlin’, I was just… too close? Is that the word?” Jefferson chuckled, kissing John’s nose sweetly. “I, uh… want to be, um…” He blushed again, squeezing John’s ass gently to get his point across. He gasped softly and grabbed the lube.

“I gotta, y’know, stretch myself,” John mumbled. He hadn’t thought about how embarrassing it would be to open himself on his fingers, in front of Thomas. He looked at Jefferson as he took the bottle from him and blushed furiously.

“I could do that… for you? It’d help me learn, since it’s my first time,” he offered shyly, looking away. John smiled, pouring the lube onto his fingertips and spreading his legs. He took a deep breath, feeling the cold lube against him. John could tell he was nervous, but gave him a kiss to ease his nerves. 

He gasped softly when he felt the first finger push in, pushing back against it. John moaned softly, looking at Jefferson with heavy lidded eyes. “Y-You can add another finger,” he whined, dropping his head against Thomas as he pushed in another finger. He started to fuck himself on Jefferson’s fingers, moaning louder. 

“You can curl th-them insi-” His words were cut off by his loudest moan yet, Thomas pressing against the spot that made John see stars. “Sh-shit! Oh god, wait wait, pull out.” Thomas pulled his fingers out, kissing John roughly as he rolled on the condom and covered his member in lube. They flipped over again, Jefferson over John as he got in between his legs.

“Ready, darlin’?” Jefferson whispered as he left kisses against John’s neck. He nodded softly, grabbing onto Thomas as he pushed in, strained moans from how much Jefferson was stretching inside him. “A-are you okay? Tell me when to move darlin’.” He moaned softly, not realising how much Jefferson’s southern drawl was turning him on. They were like that for only a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity before the pain faded away.

John nodded, kissing Thomas as he started to thrust into him softly. John whined softly, nails digging into his back. “Sir, please, harder…” He smirked weakly, feeling Jefferson shiver as he pushed into him harder. John started to angle his hips slightly, tightening around him when he hit his prostate. He let out another lewd moan, moving to meet with Jefferson’s thrusts. “O-oh fuck, right there baby, shit~” John’s words melted in with his moans, becoming a mess of slurred pleas and curses.

“I-I’m close, darlin’,” Thomas muttered, thrusting harder. John could only moan in response, going to stroke himself quickly. His thrusts got frantic, holding onto John’s hips tightly. “ John… You’re so amazing, darlin’. F-fuck, I love you, John.”

“I love you too, oh god please, sir,” John begged, stroking himself faster. “Come for me, Thomas, please!” He gasped, crying out as he spilled onto their stomachs, tightening around him. 

That sent him over the edge, pushing deeply into John as he came. They didn’t move for a bit, just revelling in the moment. Jefferson pulled out slowly, and John whined at the slight overstimulation. The sudden emptiness startled him slightly, and he started squirming and grinding against the mattress, whining. 

“You okay, darlin’?” Jefferson asked, but John only whined again, blushing softly. “O-oh…” He put some lube on his fingers again, slipping two of them into him easily. John let out a soft sigh of relief, his face flushed. He kept thrusting them slowly, eventually pulling one out, and then the other. John smiled slightly at the smooth transition, nuzzling him.

Thomas kissed him lightly before getting up. “I’m going to go start the shower, hon. Care to join?” 

At John’s nod he smiled and helped him up and into the bathroom. John held onto him tightly, nuzzling his neck and humming softly. He turned on the water, checking the temperature every few seconds before he decided it was perfect. He pulled John in with him, letting him get used to the heat for a few moments before starting to wash his hair gently. 

John leaned back into the touch, relaxing and closing his eyes. Thomas smiled and finished with his hair, going on to wash his body gently, being careful not to hurt him. John hummed softly, grinning. “Jooohnnn, how do you say I love you in Spanish? S’il te plait.”

“Te amo,” he replied with a small smile, pressing another kiss to his lips. Thomas kissed back, starting to wash his own body. John went on his toes a bit, washing his hair for him. John eventually looked over at the bottle, frowning when he saw the name of a basic store. “You need to borrow my shampoo, this one’s crap and bad for your luscious hair.”

“I just use whatever James uses, darlin’. Bring me anything you want,” he mused, tapping John’s nose happily. He turned the shower off, grabbing a towel for John when he saw that he started to shiver. “You can wear any of my clothes, if you want to stay over. It’s your choice.” John stepped out with him, walking to his closet and pulling on a large hoodie which hung down to his thighs. He pulled on his underwear, then some pajama pants before sitting down carefully.

Thomas giggled softly, just getting his own pair of pajama bottoms before sitting beside him. “You look adorable in my clothes~”

“YOU BET I DO!” John exclaimed, posing dramatically.

He pulled out his phone, going through Snapchat stories. “You don’t mind if I take a picture, do you?” Jefferson shook his head, and watched as he filmed the room, then focused on him. He couldn’t help but laugh, making John laugh with him.

“Oohh baby!~ You’re so adorable,” John said, posting it. He took another snap, laughing, “I ain’t gon’ lie, he’s wonderful in more ways than one.” He laughed, flipping the camera to show how Thomas was smirking and wiggling his eyebrows. 

And with that the spent the rest of their day off in bed, cuddling and finally getting to know everything about each other, in the way they’d both been wanting for the past few months.

John fell asleep in Jefferson’s bed that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please give praise to my co-author, she helped a LOT on this chapter, god bless.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo school's a thing and it sucks so the chapters will be coming slower than ever. :///

John felt as if the entire office was watching him the second he walked into the building. He could see heads turn towards him, and people snickering as he walked by. He tried to tell himself that this was normal workroom gossip, and that there was nothing truly going on, but what with the events that had gone down at the party- and the previous night- it was still hard to believe it.

He finally made it to his office, seeing a note that read, ‘Hey, darlin’ Lunch at the diner? To make up for the… sudden attention.’ John sighed, seeing the heart next to message and grinning.  _ Maybe all this attention isn’t that bad,  _ he thought to himself. He set it in a box of notes he had collecting over the months, all cute messages from Thomas. John shook his head as he chuckled, “I need to get to work.”

John made sure to pull his hood over his head as he walked to the diner. No one outside of Libert é knew, but he couldn’t risk it. A smile grew when he saw his boyfriend sitting down at their table, texting rapidly. “Hello, sir,” he mused, sitting next to him. 

“Hello, darlin’ How are you today?” Thomas asked as he kissed John’s cheek. 

“I’m good, Thomas. From the way you’re grinning I’m assuming you’re doing just as well.” He smiled as their usual order was placed down onto the table. “Thank you, Miss… holy shit, you’re working here, Peggy?”

“Yeah! Didn’t know? That’s your boss,” she said matter-of-factly, nodding towards Jefferson. “You’re buying your boss lunch, you’re sitting next to your boss, you have  _ hickeys _ , John.”

Thomas winked towards her, a wide smirk on his face. “I know.~”

“Don’t say it, Pegs.” 

She gasped happily, trying her best to control herself when she started to snap her fingers and rock on her feet. “You’re dating him! Aww that’s adorable! You look so cute!”

John blushed furiously, shaking his head as he laughed. “You have to keep this a secret though.” He sighed in relief when he saw Peggy nod. She ruffled his hair and walked off, still snapping her fingers softly. They ate, Thomas talking about workroom gossip and kissing his cheek occasionally. They headed back, Thomas jolting when John tried to hold his hand. 

“So… we’re dating right? You’re my… whatever, and I’m your boyfriend?” Thomas asked as he held the door open for John, walking quickly to the elevator. John smiled when he saw it was empty, standing close to him.

“Yep. And you can call me darlin’ or datemate or significant other. Something gender neutral, hon,” he said, giving Thomas a quick kiss. 

Thomas nodded.“I’m going home after, you can come over if you want,” he said softly, giving him two more quick kisses. John pulled him for one more, this time a longer one, before leaving for his office. 

“Mr. Laurens, this is a work of genius,” Maria praised as she twirled in her dress. He sighed, shaking her hand before sitting in his chair.

“I will definitely make sure to commission from you again.”

“That would be an honor.” He nodded, checking her off his list and relaxing. He froze when she give him a quick peck on the lips and tried to run off, suddenly becoming   _ paralyzed _ when he saw Thomas staring from the doorway. 

“J-John, I, um, have some…” he cleared his throat before continuing. “I have… your fabrics.” He set them in the corner, turning for the door. John ran over and grabbed his arm, holding it tight as he pulled him into the office. He closed the door behind them.

“You can’t… Babe, I’m  _ gay _ , she was the one who kissed  _ me. _ ” Jefferson looked away, ignoring him. “Why would I leave a big, strong, handsome, and amazing man for her? Why would I?”

Thomas hugged him tightly, resting his head against him as he breathed shakily. “I just thought… The alcohol and… This relationship thing is difficult.” He chuckled weakly, giving John a squeeze. “I’ve never been in a relationship before. God damn you for flipping my world upside down.”

John laughed, kissing Thomas softly. He kissed back, sighing softly into the kiss. Lust quickly filled the both of them, kisses becoming passionate and more frantic. Thomas pushed him against the wall, still gentle when his hands slipped under his pants. “W-wait. I love where this is going but we have to wait until we get home.”

Thomas chuckled as he nodded. They gave each other one more kiss, then went back to work. John slumped against the wall, grinning like an idiot at the realisation.  _ Until  _ **_we_ ** _ get home. Our home _ .

The two of them resigned to their own respective rooms, both a bit flustered even until the end of the day. Time seemed to drag on until the moment when the work day was over and they could see each other again, John for once not protesting when he was offered a ride home in Thomas’ car.

The drive, like most, was filled with casual chatter, though this time the simple air of the love between them made the atmosphere feel ten times brighter. Thomas couldn’t help but glance at John during this ride home, watching as he talked. He had that starry look, and Thomas couldn’t get enough of it. 

John noticed Jefferson take a different turn than usual, and was about to stop him before he realized that they really were driving  _ home _ . Thomas had just... decided that John’s home was with him, and, frankly, John had to agree. He kissed him the second the car was parked in the other’s large driveway, stepping out afterwards.

The two walked inside, and John suddenly felt just the slightest bit... off when he realized just how big his house really was. The first time he’d been here he was piss drunk, and then having sex, so he hadn’t really taken the time to appreciate the work of art that Thomas’ home was. 

It was clearly an expensive build, but with Thomas’ position in the company it wasn’t surprising that he had more than enough to pay for it. Beige walls accompanied black leather furniture, with soft, purple throw pillows tossed about. John nearly had to stop and stare, wondering how it felt to actually have somewhere proper to live.  _ Maybe I’ll find out soon enough,  _ he hoped.

His was pulled out of his thoughts by an eager Jefferson pulling him close, for some reason suddenly compelled to kiss him. John, of course, kissed back, standing on his toes to wrap his arms around his boyfriend’s neck.

“Want something to eat, darlin’?” Jefferson asked, kissing his forehead.

“Mhm, I want a snack break.” He yelped when Jefferson pulled him onto his back, holding onto him for dear life with his legs wrapped tightly around him. “I can walk y’know!” 

“I do know, I just want to carry around my small boyfriend this way.”

“I’m only 3 inches shorter than you, dammit,” he muttered, resting his head against Thomas. “What do you have to eat?”

He scanned the large pantry, slightly wincing at Jefferson’s food choice. Nasty convenience store cinnamon buns, right next to cartons of mango and guava juice, boxes of Kraft mac and cheese (ten of them to be exact), organic sunflower seeds, kinder eggs, and “healthy” Caramel deLites, and that was only the first shelf. “Your food choice is… interesting?” John said, pointing to the mac and cheese. “Let’s have some, and then we can have cinnabuns or something.”

Thomas nodding, grabbing two boxes and walking to the stove. Even with John on his back he managed to cook. As he stood back and waiting for the pasta to cook, he grabbed his phone from his pocket. 

“aY, CARAJO!” John yelped, rubbing his head as Thomas leaned down to hug him.

“Oh jeez, I’m so so sorry, I forgot!” He kissed John’s head, worrying that he hurt him badly. 

“It’s fine! At least I didn’t fall into anything,” he assured him, standing up and rolling his wrists. “I mean, the only thing hurt is my ass and I broke my fall so it’s fine babe.” He heard Thomas sigh in relief, hugging him.

Thomas finished, adding the cheese and what-not and giving John his plate along with a glass of soda. He walked to the dining room but stopped when he saw John walk straight to the living room and turn on the TV. John could sense his awkwardness as he sat down next to John and started eating.

Time went by as they talked and ate, John sighing as Thomas got more used to eating on the couch for once. There was barely anything interesting on television, so they watched something on Netflix. “Never ate on the couch before?”

Thomas shook his head, laying against John. “Again, I had a very strict family. I was rich, I was snotty, I still am. I still haven’t grown out of it.” He shrugged.

John hummed, kissing his forehead before pulling it down to rest against his lap. He stroked Thomas’s hair, and before they knew it they were asleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise!! We'll introduce the rest of the squad later. Herc and Hammyham will come in and I regret not writing them in sooner but oh well. I hope you liked this chapter, or this story for that matter. See you soon :,3


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We apologise for the sudden hiatus!! We have school n shit and it kinda slipped my mind this existed. But!! I'm back, so expect chapters more often. See yoou!!  
> 

John woke up slowly, rubbing his eyes as they got used to the sudden light. He felt unusually warm, but didn’t think much of it until he finally opened his eyes. He immediately realised that he wasn’t in his own home, and practically jumped off the couch until he saw Jefferson on the other side of him.

“Still gotta get used to that…” he whispered to himself, scanning the living room. He got up to turn off the light, shivering as the cool air hit his bare skin. He quickly walked back to Thomas, pulling a nearby blanket over them. “Good morning, darlin.”

“Hey there,” Thomas mumbled, trying to rub the sleep out of his eyes. “How are you?”

“ _ Very _ good.” John bit his lip softly, giving him a soft kiss. “You need to stop procrastinating on your work though. I see through your tricks.”

All Thomas did was chuckle, holding John close. They stayed like that for a while, John almost falling asleep before Thomas spoke softly. “J-John…” 

“Yeah?” There was more silence, and he almost thought Jefferson fell asleep before he continued.

“Would you like to move in with me? Y-You don’t have to, of course, I don’t even know the state of your apartment, and even if it was bad you still probably wouldn’t want to live with me, and we haven’t even been dating for very long at all but…” He sighed, holding John as close as he could. “It gets lonely here, even with the servants and all. This place is too big for one person…”

He laid there with Thomas, silent and thinking. “I’ll think about it… It’s our day off, why don’t I bring you to my apartment?”

The only response he got was a single nod from Thomas. They made breakfast, had their daily flirting, and got dressed in better clothes. John hadn’t realised how much of his clothes and other belongings had gathered up in Jefferson’s house in the past month. He threw on something quick, sneakers, jeans and a Breaking Bad t-shirt and walked out with Thomas. 

The ride to his apartment was a stressful one. John hadn’t realised how dirty his apartment might’ve looked to Thomas, and he fiddled with his shirt hem, all the way to the complex. He sighed with a bit of relief when Thomas sneaked a kiss as they walked up the staircase. He stopped in his tracks the second the second he got to the door, feeling Thomas’ eyes on him. 

It was the same look he’d so often gotten from people when he opted to wear more ‘feminine’ clothing to work- the judging, awkward, confused stare. John tried to convince himself he was just overreacting; Thomas would never judge him for anything; Thomas loved him. 

“So... Are we going in?”

John nodded, taking a breath before opening the door and walking into the apartment. 

“JOHN!!!” Hercules bursted through, dragging John inside and carrying him upside down. Herc brought him into the other room where Lafayette and Alex were… making out.

“Take that shit to your own apartment, Hamilton!” John yelled, finally being thrown onto bed. Herc went over, a wide smirk on his face.

“Nope. Now c’mere Hercules, we were in the middle of something!” Alex said, starting to kiss Hercules as well. John started to make gagging noises, throwing pillows at the trio. 

Thomas frowned slightly in confusion, his eyes widening at the three of them. “Uhh, should I leave, darlin?” He gasped as John dragged him over, kissing his cheek. 

Thomas sat down on the bed, posture stiff. He sighed softly when John wrapped his arms around him, finally not feeling out of place for the first time since he arrived. 

Laf sauntered over to the two of them, pouting at the lack of attention from their boyfriends. “So, this is your… Fuck what’s the word in English!” He groaned, smacking his head in frustration. “Salope?? No… still French.”

“I speak French, remember. And no, I’m not John’s slut,” Jefferson hissed softly.

Alexander snickered slightly, trying to hide his amusement. “He means it in the most endearing way, I assure you.”

Thomas sighed and looked around, seeing the scattered papers and art supplies, the clothes messily thrown into a hamper. He frowned slightly as he breathed deeply.  _ How does he live in this _ , he thought to himself as he held John’s hand. 

His thought process was broken by Lafayette standing in front of him. “We’ve met before. My name is Lafayette, I prefer they/them pronouns. Over there’s Hercules, he/she. And that piece of shit is Alexander, he/him-”

“Holy shit!” Alex blurted out. Everyone turned to him, seeing his glare fixed onto Thomas. “It’s  _ you _ . Thomas goddamn Jefferson, I swear to everything that is holy, if you so much as hurt a hair on John’s head, the next time you’ll see me is in court for attempted murder-”

“Why do you have a problem with him, Alex?” John interrupted, raising an eyebrow.

“He’s an asshole!”

“Look who’s talking,” Lafayette mumbled as he sat with Hercules. The room was silent for a moment, looks being exchanged between the two. 

“I’m pleading the fifth,” Herc called out, reserving a corner for himself and Lafayette. 

“Have you  _ seen _ what the media says about him? Not only the media but literally every other sane person in the world?!”

John’s face grew red, pulling Thomas closer. “Thomas is kind, he just shuts certain people out! Now who does that remind you of?”

The room went silent again, and the tension was so thick it could be cut with a knife. Jefferson saw Alex’s expression change, and didn’t know why until he felt a few drops of water seep through his shirt. He turned to see John crying, staring straight at Alex from behind him.

“Get out…”

“John… I didn’t-”

“I said get out,” he hissed through gritted teeth. When he saw Alex open his mouth to speak he snapped, “I will shove your nose bridge into your  _ brain _ Alexander, now get out!”

The three quickly made their way out of the apartment, Herc and Laf giving John quick kisses to the cheek before leaving. John sighed when he heard the door shut and lock, the silence of the apartment finally soothing.

Thomas had no idea what to say or do, the fact that John had just  _ threatened to murder his best friend _ kept him frozen to his position. He finally turned around to see John hugging himself… His knees were pressed firmly to his chest, head down. Thomas almost withered when he heard John’s muffled wails. 

Thomas inched closer, gently wrapping his arms around John in the hopes of calming him down, only to be rewarded with a frightening scream from his boyfriend. He jumped away in surprise, fighting back tears, both of fright and at the fact that he was there while the man he loved was having a mental breakdown and he couldn't do anything about it.

Johns eyes were shut tightly and he was shaking, his hands tapping at the speed of light on his thighs, as tears fell down his cheeks and onto his neck and chest. He was barely processing what was going on, only that everything felt wrong and that he wanted to be alone.

The room felt too small, and John opened his eyes as he stood up to try and get away, away from the room, away from people, away from himself. His face was ridden with terror and sadness, and he stumbled out through the door, Jefferson following him in an attempt to make sure he didn’t hurt himself.

“John, please-”

Another sharp look of terror, punctuated with a tear-filled sob and a step back away from him. It was as if Thomas was a stranger; nothing but a person who’d made his way into John’s apartment and was now trying to keep him there, to hold him hostage.

John’s face was completely void of recognition towards him, frozen in place as Jefferson spoke to him softly.

“Mon mignon…” he started, staying in place. “Focus. Breathe deeply, okay?” 

John stared at him, straight in the eyes, breathing shakily. He tried his hardest to breath deeply, even though the burn in his chest was preventing that.

“John, I’m so proud of you. Keep breathing. Now, I’m gonna walk over. I’m safe. I’m not going to hurt you, okay?” 

John nodded, flinching back as Thomas took a step forward. He took a few more steps, standing in the middle. “Walk over to me, darling.” 

John ran over, almost tackling him with a hug. “Do you want me to hug back?” John nodded, crying softly as Thomas wrapped his hands around him.

“Want me to make you sumthin to eat? To take you to my place and keep you safe, to watch movies with you?” Jefferson asked, sighing as he felt John nod again. They walked to the house, taking their time.

Thomas kept his pace slow for John’s sake, holding his hand. Laurens flinched at every noise as they walked, still not completely out of his state of fear. He kept his gaze away from the faces of the rest of the New Yorkers who passed them by, letting out a sigh of relief when the pair finally made it to Thomas’ house.

One of Jefferson’s servants opened the door, causing John to flinch again. Thomas frowned slightly, “What’s wrong..?” 

John just pushed through, running up to their bedroom. Thomas stayed downstairs, asking several servants what he should do. He carried blankets, pillows, his laptop, a box of cannolis, and two cups of tea. He went to open the door, growling when he found it locked.

“John Laurens, open the fucking door and let me help you,” he hissed, expression softening once he heard the door unlocking, John standing in the doorway. “Can you help me carry these in?”

John simply whined, carrying the blankets and the cup of tea to the corner of the room. Thomas sighed, setting down everything else to make the bed. When he finished, he turned around to see John eating most of the cannolis, sipping his tea when he’s done. Thomas walked over carefully, opening his arms for a hug. He felt John relax against him as he hugged him, and they slowly made their way to the bed. They hugged each other under the covers, watching some of John’s favourite movies. 

“I’m only letting you skip a proper dinner for today, darlin. I love you,” he whispered softly. John was quiet for a moment, eyes drifting closed.

“I love you too,” he muttered, yawning before he fell asleep. 


End file.
